The June issue of Earth magazine had a wonderful article on the history and science of new England's stone walls. The article was written by John-Manuel Andriote and it is a good read for those very familiar with our famous walls or those who don't know anything about them. Two parts of the article that are a real treat. The first is a series of dioramas from the Fisher Museum that chronicle landscape history and the second is a pictorial identifying key for stone walls, great for activities with children.

The Farmington Historical Society would like
to thank everyone who stopped by our Hay Day booth and visited the
Museum on Saturday. It was a pleasure to talk with all of you. We were
excited you liked the balloons and the new Farmington Historical
Society t-shirts and baseball caps. We hope to see you when our free
monthly presentations start back up in October or for our regular
monthly Historical Society business meeting in September. Again, thank
you for your support.

Jim Horgan, the president of the Farmington Historical Society, wants to issue a giant thank you to Joann Doke, Joyce White,
Resta Detwiler, Judy Thompson, and Martha Horgan for tending the Hay Day
booth and the Henry Wilson Museum for the Farmington Historical Society
and to Rebecca Howard, Stan Freeda and Kyle Leach for all the prep work.

Members of the Historical Society cleaned up around the Town Pound on Sunday, August 10, at 1:00 PM. The clean up did not take too long, but the Society hoped that sprucing up the historical site will allow for easier recognition and appreciation of our landmark. The Town Pound was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993. The Pound was sold to the Raab Family in 1918 after it was no longer in use by the town. The family donated the structure back to the Town of Farmington in 1975. The Town Pound site is maintained by the Farmington Historical Society. The Society hopes to continue improvements to the site.

Collage of photos before clear up began.

Collage of photos after the clean up.

Historical Society Members display their hard work.

The pound as it survives today is a substantial structure, whose fieldstone walls are seven-feet high and three-feet wide at the base. Along the top, the walls terminate with long granite capstones. There is a five-and-a-half-foot wide opening on the southeast side (facing Pound Road). Some of the stones have been removed, the lintel has fallen and broken into three pieces, and the wooden gate is no longer extant, but the pound is otherwise similar in appearance to the photograph which appears in the 1904 publication, Souvenir of Farmington, New Hampshire. (The presence of saplings growing on the lot was evident even in 1904.)

Photo of Farmington Town Pound from the 1904 Souvenir Book

The pound occupies a small lot measuring 120 feet by 130 feet in the geographical center of the town. The balance of the parcel supports a young growth of mixed hardwood and conifers.

The pound was built in 1823 by the Town of Farmington to replace an earlier wooden structure that was built in 1802. It is one of a few well-preserved pounds in southeastern New Hampshire. It remained in use until late in the 19th century. It was sold to a private owner in 1918. Eventually, it was given back to the town, and is now maintained by our historical society.

Membership

Next Meeting October 6

6 October 2017

The Forgotten Side of the Revolutionary War with Jeff Durell7:00 PM in the Historical Society Museum at the Goodwin Library

Jeff Durell has been a historical reenactor for thirty years. His program will consist of telling the forgotten side of the American Revolution through the eyes of the British Soldier. The program will include stories, a manual of arms, and a display of the kit and accouterments of the British Soldier while in service in America.
Questions are always welcome. When not reenacting, Jeff is a middle school social studies teacher in Barrington.

Prior to the presentation, there will be a membership meeting from 6:00 - 7:00 PM. The program is open to all and all are welcome.